Mushroom Series: Oyster Mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) are also known as, well, Oyster Mushrooms! Not necessarily the most creative name we’ve seen in this series so far, but just looking at them you’ll be able to see where the name comes from. Their fan-shaped caps grow in these overlapping clusters on the sides of trees and they look a lot like a bunch of oysters hanging out on a log. They also have an interesting range of colors, from white and cream to gray, tan, and even slightly blue-gray depending on their age and growing conditions.

Oysters mushrooms are mainly a culinary mushroom (though they also have functional and adaptogenic qualities) and are one of my favorites for cooking with because they have such a great range of flavor and texture. They’ve got a mild, slightly sweet and earthy flavor as well as a wonderful meaty texture when cooked. They’re great to sautée, roast, grill, fry, or toss into soups and stir-fries. Tear them into strips and fry them until they’re crispy for some pretty damn good vegan “chicken.” I’ve also seen them turned into a few other vegan replacements such as fried “chicken” sandwiches, pulled “pork,” and even “bacon”. They dry really well and can be ground up into a mushroom powder to add that incredible umami flavor to just about anything. You can also buy oyster mushroom powder already made and keep some on hand to add to your dishes.

But, oyster mushrooms aren’t just here to make your meals taste amazing or replace animal proteins in vegan dishes because, like I said above, these funghi bring some oomph to your health as well. They’re a great source of beta-glucans, which help support and regulate our immune system (and if you don’t know what beta-glucans are, please go read my Chaga mushroom blog where I talk all about them). Oyster mushrooms have been associated with the ability to support healthy cholesterol levels and good cardiovascular health. They have antioxidants and provide B vitamins, potassium, iron, zinc, and dietary fiber. Some of the compounds in oyster mushrooms have been studied for antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Like many edible mushrooms, they’re also considered adaptogenic and can be a lovely addition to the diet when we’re looking for foods that help support the body through everyday stress. So, once again, we have a mushroom that is both delicious AND doing some work behind the scenes! Mushrooms are really a good health secret (or not so secret) weapon.

So, where would you think you’d find these mushrooms in the wild? They tend to grow on dead or dying hardwood trees, stumps, and fallen logs. They especially like beech, maple, oak, poplar, and willow trees and they’re usually found during the cooler, wetter parts of the year. So, finding them also depends on where you live. But, as with most mushrooms, look for them after you’ve had some rain when the temperatures drop a bit. One of the really cool things about oyster mushrooms (and most mushrooms) is that they’re saprotrophic, meaning they feed on dead and decaying organic matter. They’re basically Mother Nature’s clean-up crew! But, they also give us an abundance of tasty nutrition. There are some look-alikes of which a few can cause gastrointestinal upset, so please don’t go wandering into the woods with a basket and a sense of false confidence! Like I’ve said this whole series, please find a local, professional, and experienced mushroom forager to learn with before you start foraging for wild mushrooms on your own.

As for uses in witchcraft, oyster mushrooms are wonderful for abundance, nourishment, prosperity, and transformation spells. Because they tend to grow in large clusters, they’re especially lovely for workings where you’re trying to increase something, like money, opportunities, creativity, community, or just generally having more good shit in your life. Their ability to grow from dead and decaying wood also makes them great for liminal work and transformational work. Use them to release the old and bring in the new, turning endings into beginnings!

Have you ever cooked with oyster mushrooms or found a giant cluster growing on a fallen tree? Or, have you considered using them as part of a spell or ritual? Let me know in the comments!

Tune back in next week when we discuss Reishi mushrooms.